Mammoth Lakes Proposes Laying Off Nearly Half of Police Force

Mammoth Lakes had gone into bankruptcy to find a way to avoid paying out a judgment that was three times the city’s budget. Emerging from bankruptcy means the city may lay off half of its police force.

The cuts – which will eliminate 6 municipal positions and seven sworn police officers – would make room in the city’s budget to make 23 annual payments of $2 million to a developer. The original settlement was for $43 million, but the structured payments were a result of the city’s bankruptcy.

The cuts, however, are being described as a threat to public safety and could negatively impact the city’s tourist industry. The city normally has about 7,500 permanent residents, but tourists can increase that number to about 40,000 on a busy weekend. The police department would be left just 10 officers.
Read the full story at the Los Angeles Times.